BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh investigates how Rotary club members in Great Britain and Ireland helped India achieve its one year ‘polio free’ anniversary and their continued efforts to eradicate polio worldwide.
During his recent visit to India for a National Immunisation Day, Fergus visited some of the 7,000 impromptu vaccination booths across Delhi, several of them staffed by Rotary members of Rotary clubs from Great Britain.
Written by Fergus Walsh - BBC Medical Correspondent
You might well ask what a retired dentist from Berkshire, a businessman from Derbyshire who makes shovels, and a nurse practitioner from Lancashire are all doing in the backstreets of Delhi.
Two causes unite them: Rotary and polio.
Dressed in bright yellow shirts, the Rotarians are doing a roaring trade at their impromptu vaccinations booths. The children can't wait to be immunised.
"It's chaos," says Adrian Stabbins, the retired dentist from Windsor. But he has a smile on his face, and is clearly enjoying himself. "We've done 150 vaccinations so far - it's wonderful."
RIBI President Ray Burman is set to appear on BBC Breakfast at around 6.40am tomorrow (Tuesday 21/2) morning, talking about polio eradication and Rotary's work!
Written by Fergus Walsh - BBC Medical Correspondent
One by one the young children open their mouths to receive the two drops of polio vaccine. Then they hold out their hand to get their "purple pinky" - one finger painted with indelible purple ink to show they've been immunised.
Some of the children try, and fail, to suck off the ink because they want to get another toy - some stickers, a balloon or pencil - as a reward for coming to the booth.
There are 7,000 impromptu vaccination booths across the capital. Across India, these regular National Immunisation Days aim to reach more than 170 million children under five - the group most at risk from polio. I'm here to witness India's successful fight against polio.
